Are You Serving Alcohol To My Kid During The Holidays?

Kelly & Jonathan From

Miles To Go Drug Prevention Education

Wish You A Happy And Safe Holiday Party Season

Are You Serving Alcohol To My Kid During The Holidays?

Last Christmas an old friend and fellow mom called me because she was shocked to find out that another mom was serving alcohol to all the 8th and 9th graders from her school. This other mom obviously subscribed to the theory that kids can safely drink if they confine their drinking to someone’s home. My friend’s daughter then added her perspective, saying “Mom, all the kids drink--it’s really no big deal!” Now doubting her sanity, my friend phoned me to ask, “Kelly, do all the kids drink? Is it really no big deal, and am I the only mom who isn’t letting this happen? Have I become the old, uncool mom?”

Listening to my friend’s dilemma on the other end of the phone, I was saddened. After 15 years of talking to parents about keeping their kids safe, I realized that one of my oldest friends was not benefitting from our parent lectures because she was on the other side of the country and never had the opportunity to attend. This open letter is not just to our friend Ann, but also to everyone who has not been able to attend our lectures, view our webinars, or read our emails and drug fact updates.

Dear Ann,
You are NOT the only mom who doesn’t want her child to drink, and you are certainly not alone! Here are a few thoughts for you, but this is only the beginning of this conversation. We will continue to talk about this in upcoming parent meetings and online book discussions scheduled for early 2011. Our goal will be to find out what other parents and communities are doing to battle the problem of adults providing alcohol to minors.

First: I’m reprinting a passage from our new book “Not All Kids Do Drugs” for you. (Find it at the end of the letter.) It is such an important part of our presentation that we began our book with this subject. (Shameless plug: Anyone who would like to buy a copy of the book, click here: Milestogodrugeducation.com).

Second: There are social host laws popping up all over the country specifically designed to stop parents from serving to minors. California has no state criminal law on social host liability, but many cities and counties do have local ordinances. Find out what your local statutes are, and if there are currently no laws in place, find out why not.

Social Host Liability defined: Social host laws are set up as criminal or civil actions against people who serve alcohol or drugs to their guests, especially if those guests are minors. Adults can be held responsible if this occurs on their property, regardless of who furnishes the alcohol. These laws vary depending on your city or state, and can include misdemeanor charges as well as fines and possible jail time.

MADD: Simplifies this explanation and provides a brochure: http://www.madd.org/underage-drinking/social-host/

NIAAA: Underage Drinking: Prohibitions Against Hosting Underage Drinking Parties http://alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/Prohibitions_Against_Hosting_Underage_Drinking_Parties.html

Model Programs: Excellent website from San Diego County Alcohol Policy Panel about Social Host liability and explanations http://socialhost.org/Default.htm

Third: What do you do if someone is hosting these parties? (A more extensive list is in Part 2 of our book)

1: Tell your child why these parties are off limits. You are allowed to say, “No.” You are their parent, not their friend.

2: Saying, “No” to dangerous activities begins as a pattern in preschool, not when they are in high school. Practice early.

3: Know your kids’ friends and their friends’ parents – this also begins early and lasts a life time.

4: Host the parties at your house. Keep them small and lock the bar.

5: Call ahead and ask the parents hosting the event for details about the party.

6: Alert other parents about these unsafe environments. Don’t assume they know what’s going on and are OK with kids drinking—they may not be aware of the danger these parties pose.

Not All Kids Do Drugs

Part 1

Answering The Big Questions

“All kids are going to do drugs, so why don’t we teach them how to use safely?"

We might as well start with this common parental assumption—all kids will eventually try drugs, especially alcohol. Since this is our starting point, it’s also where we’ll make our first stand:

NOT ALL KIDS DO DRUGS!!

We can’t tell you how often a parent in one of our presentations announces that, “All kids are going to do drugs.” Without fail, at least a couple of parents who stayed silent in the face of this all-knowing pronouncement approach us after the event ends and say, “I’ve never done a drug in my life,” or, “I’ve never had a drink or smoked a cigarette. Does that mean I can’t teach my kid about this subject?”

In our drug abuse prevention presentations for parents, we’ve always encouraged schools and parents to support the nonusers—because the users have the loudest voice and will drown out the voice of the nonusers. We are astonished that, despite all we know about the costs associated with teen drug use and adult drug abuse, large segments of our society still perceive users as the cool group. The party people are seen as popular and cool, and they reinforce this image with a language filled with terms nonusers might not understand. This special slang acts to bring the users together and exclude others. They also have an easy time finding like-minded others—they just go to a party, look around--and voila--instant peer group. The most vocal members of the party group, the ones that lord their drug knowledge over less exposed members of their class or school, are a special breed. We refer to them as drug bullies. Nonusers tend to be scattered among the chess players, the musicians, the athletes, the rock climbers, the actors. They don’t know each other, and they have a lot of difficulty identifying each other. These nonusers need encouragement to continue their conscious choice, and we need to actively encourage healthy alternatives to drug use.

A major problem, though, is that a few of these drug bullies don’t change when they reach adult age. The parent who stands up and says, “All kids are going to use,” may well be nothing more than an adult drug bully. The parent that doesn’t stand up and insist, “No, they aren’t,” is still being bullied and may still to this day feel uncool about their lack of drug experience. They have told us repeatedly that they don’t feel they have enough knowledge to speak up about the subject because they are not part of the supposed “in-crowd.” They are the parents who don’t get invited to, or choose not to attend, the parties where binge drinking is happening. They also don’t attend parties where marijuana is smoked and everyone pretends it’s cool as long as their kids aren’t around to see it.

We’ve been teaching drug abuse prevention education in schools for a long time, and one of the things we are sure of is that not all kids do drugs. We’ve had many students get in touch with us years after they saw our program to tell us they still haven’t used drugs. Many are now married and starting families and careers of their own, and they did it without falling prey to the silly notion that all kids are supposed to use drugs as a part of growing up.

Of course, it would be foolish for us to think that out of the 10,000 kids we teach each year not one would drink or get high—far from it. We have also heard from some of those who did choose to drink or use drugs. Several of them told us that they stopped before they got into serious trouble; several others went into rehab sooner than they normally would have because of their knowledge that help was available. Many had friends in trouble and were able to help them find their way out of a bad situation. Unfortunately, there are some students we are no longer able to hear from, but that we hear of—they are the ones that didn’t make it out the other side of the decision to use. They are the ones who died.

Let’s Look At A Few Common Variations Of The Original Question:

1. “All kids will eventually use, so why not let them do it in the safety of our home?”

First, it is impossible to monitor a group of kids who are drinking and using drugs in your home unless you are a trained drug specialist or an ER doctor with all the meds and tools you’ll need in your bathroom medicine chest. If you think you will stop them from drinking and driving by taking away their car keys, we can tell you from experience that some of the kids are smarter than you are—they bring a second set of keys. If drunks want to drive, they will drive. Before you have your “safe” party, ask yourself these questions: “Can I tell the difference between a drunken, passed out teenager and a teenager who is in a drug-induced or alcoholic coma?” “How do I know if that teenager has alcohol poisoning?” “Do I know the complete health and addiction history of these people and their families?” “Do I know what other drugs and medications they may have used tonight?” If you don’t feel 100% confident about everything mentioned above, then you are not capable of taking care of a group of teen drug and alcohol users.

Actually, if you think about it, even if you are confident about all of the above, you are still not capable of taking care of a group of using teens—there are just too many variables to deal with effectively. With so many balls in the air at the same time, even a pro can miss something important.

A tragic story we heard while back east illustrates this point exactly. Some parents felt confident they could manage the mayhem associated with a teen drinking party, so they allowed the party to take place at their home. As expected, some of the teen attendees got really drunk, and a few even ended the evening getting sick all over themselves, but hey, that’s what it’s all about, right? Unfortunately, nobody thought to monitor the little sister of the teen host and the daughter of the parents allowing the party. She, in her effort to emulate the behaviors of the teens she so much wanted to be like, drank alcohol also. When she got drunk enough to feel ill, she went upstairs and lay down on her bed, where she proceeded to lapse into a coma.

We weren’t able to follow this story to its conclusion, but it does beg the question: Are you confident that these parents would act in a timely and responsible fashion if your child was the one passed out and possibly lapsing into a coma? They would certainly be aware that their participation in and sponsorship of illegal teen drinking would be frowned upon by the very authorities they would be calling. They may well fail to make the call in an effort to avoid the legal consequences that await them if they do. Their hesitancy may well cost your son or daughter their life.



The Great American Smokeout – November 18th, 2010 -- Integrating the discussion into your classroom

The month of November brings us one of the most proactive topics of the year. The third Thursday of November (the week before Thanksgiving) marks an annual event called the Great American Smokeout. The American Cancer Society (ACS) challenges Americans to stop smoking for 24 hours to kick off what they hope will be a change in lifestyle that will last forever. It all began in the mid 70’s when Massachusetts, Minnesota and California presented public challenges for smokers to give up their cigarettes. In 1976, the California division of the ACS successfully encouraged nearly one million smokers to quit for the day. The annual event has flourished, and each year smokers choose this day to mark the beginning of the end of their smoking.

We encourage you to integrate this topic into your classroom discussions. We have provided several ways to do this below.

Here is our new favorite website. The California Youth Advocacy Network is designed for colleges, but we recommend that you scroll down to the bottom of the page where they show 2010 Sample Advertisements and Flyers.

Integrate the discussion: Create your own school advertising campaign to help others learn. Integrate this topic for the week in art, homeroom, health, advisors, technology/media class etc.

Here are some tips from the American Cancer Society (ACS) website:
In 2009 "The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act" was signed into law and gives the FDA the authority to regulate the sale, manufacturing, and marketing of tobacco products and protects children from tobacco industry’s marketing practices.

On the ACS website they have a fantastic calculator that can tell a smoker how many cigarettes they smoke per day, month or year and how much it costs them to smoke.

Integrate the discussion as a classroom project for math, health, homeroom etc. One of our schools made a spinning wheel of death using cigarette smoking as a basis for mathematical calculations.

How To Quit

http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/StayAwayfromTobacco/GuidetoQuittingSmoking/index

http://www.californiasmokershelpline.org/

• Make the decision to quit
• Set a quit date and choose a help plan
• Learn how to handle withdrawal
• Staying quit (maintenance)

 Research shows that smokers are most successful in kicking the habit when they have some means of support, such as: 

• nicotine replacement products
• counseling
• stop-smoking groups
• telephone smoking cessation hotlines
• prescription medicine to lessen cravings
• guide books
• encouragement and support from friends and family members

How To Help A Friend – Many People say “It Is One Of The Hardest Drugs To Quit!”

As a friend or family member of a smoker, you are in an uncomfortable situation. Tobacco smoking damages nearly every organ in the human body, is linked to at least 15 different cancers including: lung, larynx (voice box), oral cavity (mouth, tongue, and lips), pharynx (throat), esophagus, stomach, pancreas, cervix, kidney, bladder, acute myeloid leukemia.

You should know that it may take several attempts to quit and relapse is part of the process for some people. Each time they quit they will feel bad about failing. Encourage them to set another date to quit. The sooner they try again and the longer they remain smoke-free each time will ensure their confidence and success.

Integrate the discussion Have a classroom discussion about how difficult it is to help someone to quit. Practice how to use “I” statements and research available methods of quitting in your community. Does your library, counseling or health/nurse office have available information?

Secondhand smoke – “A known human carcinogen (cancer causing agent)”

If the smoker claims they aren’t concerned about their own health, they should consider here is what family members are up against as a consequence of living with a smoker. Secondhand smoke comes from sidestream smoke (smoke that comes from the end of the lit cigarette, pipe or cigar) and mainstream smoke (smoke that is exhaled by a smoker). 

• In the United States alone, each year it is responsible for:
• An estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease in non-smokers who live with smokers.
• About 3,400 lung cancer deaths in non-smoking adults.
• Other breathing problems in non-smokers, including coughing, mucus, chest discomfort, and reduced lung function.
• Up to 300,000 lung infections (such as pneumonia and bronchitis) in children younger than 18 months of age, which result in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations.
• Increases in the number and severity of asthma attacks in about 200,000 to 1 million children who have asthma.
• More than 750,000 middle ear infections in children.
• Secondhand smoke may be related to breast cancer.

Integrate the discussion: Make a list of all the ways that people can accidentally be around secondhand smoke and a list of all the ways to avoid it. Work as a group to find polite ways to excuse yourself from a smoking person, room or area without insulting the smoker or hurting their feelings.

Pets and cigarette smoke

It’s not just the humans that smokers should worry about; their pets are inhaling the smoke as well. (http://www.tobaccofreeutah.org/smokingpets.htm) has a page explaining the toxins that our pets are exposed to.

Cats are known to get cancer from licking the tar off of their fur when cleaning themselves.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/07/020730075305.htm

 Californians Unite

California proudly has the second lowest smoking rate (12.9% of adults smoke – CDC 2009) in the country. With positive and gentle encouragement we could be the leaders of the nation in smoke free communities. If you have a loved one who is not ready to quit, plant the seed and put it on the calendar to quit the next time the Great American Smokeout or World No Tobacco Day comes around.

 If you have a loved one who is ready to quit smoking, they don’t have to wait another year to quit. In an attempt to reduce the 5.4 million yearly deaths from tobacco-related health problems, World No Tobacco Day (sponsored by the World Health Organization since 1987) is observed around the world on May 31st.

http://www.who.int/tobacco/en/

Other references for help:

American Heart Association - Telephone: 1-800-AHA-USA-1 (1-800-242-8721)
Internet Address: http://www.americanheart.org/

 American Lung Association - Telephone: 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872)

Internet Address: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/

National Cancer Institute -Telephone: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)
Internet Address: http://www.cancer.gov/

Smokefree.gov -(Info on state phone-based quitting programs)

Telephone: 1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669) - Internet Address: http://www.smokefree.gov/

How Do We Explain Prop 19 To Our Kids?

As the California election approaches on November 2, 2010, we’ve had a lot of questions about prop 19. Miles To Go tries very hard to not discuss politics and legalization of drugs in the classroom, but we’re overwhelmed with questions about proposition 19, the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010. Many teachers and parents are confused about what to do, and their students and children are just as confused, so in this blog we will attempt to explain what we know about the proposition. We must urge you, however, to keep this in mind: We are drug PREVENTION specialists, not legal specialists, and WE ARE BIASED.


Proposition 19 wants to legalize marijuana to help with California’s budget problems, and its proponents believe it will cut off funding to violent drug cartels and redirect law enforcement resources to more dangerous crimes. Proponents also say that it will control cannabis like alcohol. The proposition allows local governments to regulate marijuana related activities; it permits local governments to impose and collect marijuana-related fees and taxes; and it authorizes various criminal and civil penalties.

The “No on 19” organization argues that the proposition is filled with gaps and flaws that will cause serious unintended consequences with public safety, in the workplace, and with federal funding since marijuana use remains illegal under federal law. We wanted to give you an idea of who is against this proposition, but the list was so long that is took up over 50 pages, so here is the link: http://www.noonproposition19.com/endorsements/leaders

Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana:
We often get the question, “Which is safer: driving high or driving drunk?” Of course, neither is safe. Driving under the influence of marijuana is not safe, because a person’s response rates are slower and impaired. The list of Police and Highway Patrol organizations against this proposition is extraordinarily long. Patrol officers lament the fact that there are currently no field sobriety tests that can effectively demonstrate operational impairments caused by marijuana use; and since current drug tests for marijuana only reveal past use, not current intoxication, there will be no way for them to effectively remove stoned drivers from the roads the way they do drunk drivers via the use of breathalyzer testing.

The questions we raise are:
Do you want people under the influence of marijuana driving on the road with the rest of us?"

NIDA link about drugged driving:
http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/driving.html
http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Marijuana/marijuana4.html#driving


ABC news and Good Morning America recently put this idea to the test – watch/read the report here:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/driving-high-road-experiment-fuels-marijuana-legal-debate/story?id=11961862
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/test-driving-californias-proposed-pot-law-legalize-marijuana-car-drive-journalists-11966509


From the NO on 19 FAQ: The initiative expressly omits any definition of what constitutes being “under the influence” of marijuana. No driver over 21, including bus, taxi, light-rail train operators, and everyday commuters can be required to be drug-free while operating a vehicle. Although the initiative says you cannot use marijuana while driving, it appears completely permissible to use marijuana just prior to getting behind the wheel. This also opens up a tremendous liability question for employers who operate transportation companies or have company vehicles. They will no longer be able to require employees operating these vehicles be drug free.


Marijuana for 21 and older:
Proponents of Yes on 19 argue that like alcohol, marijuana will not be available to anyone under the age of 21. We can barely keep a straight face at this argument--we all know that kids can get alcohol!

Yes on prop 19 says in their FAQ’s that “(marijuana) has fewer harmful effects than alcohol and is not physically addictive with no long term effects on the body.” We feel it would be better to say that marijuana has different detrimental effects, as it seems to be a matter of opinion which detrimental effects are worse. Unfortunately, saying that marijuana is not “physically addictive” is nothing more than lying by omission, and a pure misstatement of the science. Marijuana addicts approximately 9% of its users, unless they start smoking in their middle teens, when the addiction rates almost double, to 17%. Whether the addiction is physical or psychological hardly seems to matter if it is your child entering drug treatment for their addiction to marijuana. Finally, “no long term effects on the body” seems to ignore the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery when it says that “known consequences of habitual marijuana smoking include an increased prevalence of chronic cough, sputum production and wheeze, as well as a higher frequency of acute bronchitis.” We guess that no “long term effects” as it is used here means that if you STOP using marijuana, they will go away, and yet nowhere do they seem to be suggesting that their intention is that people actually stop.

The questions we raise are:
Will legalization for people over 21 increase the usage rates of people under 21?


Here is a link to Lance Armstrong’s website Livestrong that has a series of simplified articles on the subject: http://www.livestrong.com/article/29994-marijuana-physically-addictive/


NIDA’s series on addiction:
Science of Addiction: http://www.nida.nih.gov/scienceofaddiction/

Marijuana Research Reports: http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Marijuana/default.html

Info Facts: Marijuana (scroll down to addictive potential) http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html

Tax Money
Currently, the polling shows that most voters are opposed to proposition 19, and the majority of California’s newspapers are against the proposition. The Sacramento Bee conducted an Ad Watch analyzing the current Yes on 19 commercial which concluded that the commercial was “Mostly misleading.” According to the Bee, it would not generate the “billions” of tax revenue dollars claimed because the math was based on inaccurate per ounce tax numbers.

A Rand Corporation study said, “Legalizing Marijuana in California Will Not Dramatically Reduce Mexican Drug Trafficking Revenues.” http://www.rand.org/news/press/2010/10/12/

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said, “The federal government will ‘vigorously enforce’ federal marijuana laws and that any retail establishment selling recreational pot would be admitting to a federal crime by the very act of paying taxes.”

‘Let me state clearly that the Department of Justice strongly opposes Proposition 19. If passed, this legislation will greatly complicate federal drug enforcement efforts to the detriment of our citizens.’”

Roger Salazar, No on Prop 19 spokesman stated, “Let’s take stock of where we are:

• No revenue guarantees: The California Board of Equalization says that it cannot determine how much, if any, revenue would be generated by Proposition 19 because it neither establishes a regulatory framework nor does it impose any taxes on marijuana.

• No controls: Prop 19 contains no prohibition against driving after smoking marijuana meaning anyone, even school bus drivers and heavy equipment operators, can smoke up right up until they get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

• No reduction of illegal drug trafficking or violence: The Rand report released earlier this week notes that legalizing marijuana in California would not appreciably influence the Mexican drug trafficking organizations and the related violence.

“This sets up a situation where the Feds could withhold billions in federal education funds while cracking down on California’s marijuana industry. It begs the question: Why would anyone vote for this mess of a proposition?”

The questions we raise:
Kelly is concerned with the long term repercussions of addiction, brain and lung damage. Who will pay for the costs of health care in the long run? It seems that while other countries have shown successful models for decriminalization and taxation, there are still no long term studies on health care costs. Here are several links to the annual cost of alcohol abuse in California, which runs in the billions of dollars.

http://www.cspinet.org/booze/2005/pdf/Cost_of_Alcohol_Abuse_California_(March_2004).pdf
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Controversies/20090505140503.html
http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/alerts/l/blnaa11.htm
http://www.marininstitute.org/site/campaigns/charge-for-harm.html

Jonathan is concerned that Proposition 19 will add to our confusion, not reduce it. The current war on drugs is a money burning mess, but this proposition does nothing to change that. Our ultimate goal is to keep drugs out of the bodies of adolescents and teens, but nothing here will move us closer to that goal. The legalization of marijuana in some form or another is probably a foregone conclusion in the long run, but we worry that it will lessen in the teen mind the perceived risk of using the drug, and further open young people up to the questionable role models some adults currently provide with their unhealthy use of tobacco and abuse of alcohol in front of seriously impressionable kids.

Not All Kids Do Drugs Lessons in Drug Prevention:Handbook One Proactive Parenting Techniques

Miles To Go Celebrates Our 15th Year with Our New Book

Not All Kids Do Drugs

Lessons in Drug Prevention

Handbook One: Proactive Parenting Techniques

 

 If, after reviewing this book, you would like to make it mandatory reading for parents, faculty or available for parent meetings, please contact us for bulk orders at milestogo-drugeducation@juno.com

Orders for parent meetings/presentations should be ordered 2 weeks in advance.

 

The following formats are available on our website: Milestogodrugeducation.com

• Paperback - Amazon.com
• Most e-readers, iPad (due fall 2010)
• Kindle (avail. NOW)
• PDF e-book
• MP3 Audio
• 2 Disc CD Audio Book

 

About the Book:

How can parents keep their kids safe and healthy when it comes to drug and alcohol abuse? "Not All Kids Do Drugs" is a hands-on, accessible, step-by-step guide that tells parents exactly how to get the job done.

 

Part one deals with the issues surrounding teen use: Does it have to happen? Can you teach teens how to drink moderately and safely? Can we learn anything from how Europeans drink? What do parents need to know about school-based drug education?

  

Part two is the heart of the book. It provides direct ideas about how to create the safest world for your children; one that has the lowest risk of damage and danger caused by drugs and alcohol. In part two, you'll find "The Big Three" things you can do to lower the risk of drug and alcohol use by your children, as well as information about the most effective actions to take when it comes to teen parties, curfews, media, non-use policies, peer pressure, consequences of use, communication and goal setting. This section will even tell you what to say to your kids if you have ever used drugs at an earlier point in your life. These hands-on actions are easy to learn and will directly influence the environment your children grow up in.

 

Part three tells the authors' stories, and explores the nature of drug use, addiction, and the unforeseen consequences of drug and alcohol use that begins in the teen years. The authors have spent 15 years refining their knowledge of drugs and alcohol, and they strive daily to simplify this complex subject into understandable terms that can make this knowledge applicable in our every day lives. They believe drug education is not just about drugs; it's also about communication, life skills, and relationships. They see drugs not as the problem, but as a symptom of bigger problems that aren't being dealt with in an effective way. This book is intended to help families make healthy and informed choices, and thereby reduce the likelihood drugs and alcohol will play a negative role in their lives.

 
 

You can contact us at Milestogo-drugeducation@juno.com

 

 

 

Miles To Go

presents

News For Your Classroom

Simplifying a Complex Subject

Welcome back to the 2010-2011 school year!

We spent the summer working on 2 things:

1: Our book is finished and will be officially released next week, so watch for the next email.

2: We've created News For Your Classroom Discussion - Simplifying A Complex Subject.

You can find us at milestogodrugeducation.com/Twitterlog.html

On our twitter news page you can scroll through the posts, click and listen.

Each day we simplify current scientific news reports and studies about drugs, drug abuse and prevention on our twitter news page. These 140 character tweets are available below with their links.

Several times per month we will provide you with these drug fact updates as an audio podcast and blog which will be available on our website as well as itunes and podbean.

When you log on to this page you can view our daily tweets that we call daily drug fact updates. Use these real articles and studies as topics of discussion for your classroom, advisors' group, mentors' activities, health class, debate, homeroom, science, biology, human development, psychology, home school discussions, family conversations, faculty meetings, etc.

Substance abuse is one of the few subjects that involves many different disciplines.

a. For example it is social, cultural, biological, spiritual, psychological, medical, and historical.

b. This is why it can be integrated into many different subjects.

We think that drug prevention education should be about:

• Communication,

• Decision making,

• Problem solving,

• Family and general life skills.

On our website you can subscribe to itunes, podbean, twitter and our blog sites to have it sent directly to your email box or your ipod.

In addition to these free subscriptions an MP3 player will be available on our website located on the twitter news page. All you need to do is click and listen to get your news for discussions in your classroom.

Our expanded subscription service extra tweets, questions, and expanded discussion from Kelly & Jonathan about the subject and tweets that are not included in our free service. It’s like getting a mini lecture for your classroom. You can sign up for it on our web site’s twitter news page at milestogodrugeducation.com

Be sure to send us an email to let us know how you use this service.

News For Your Classroom Podcast Episode #4

Powered by Podbean.com

Hi and welcome to the milestogodrugeducation.com podcast where we simplify a complex subject while giving you News for your classroom.

Each day we simplify current scientific news reports and studies about drugs, drug abuse and prevention on our twitter news page.

Several times per month we will provide you with these drug fact updates as an audio podcast and blog which will be available on our website as well as itunes and podbean.

QuitNet found that online social connections are helping people quit smoking when using cessation website.
http://www.meyouhealth.com/news/healthy-behaviors/online-social-connections-helped-smokers-quit-study-says/
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/AJPH.2009.165449v1

Am. Heart Assoc. finds the 13 states w/o indoor smoking bans could drop thousands of heart attacks & millions of $ would be saved.
http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2010/18000-fewer-heart-attacks.html
http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=639298

SAMHSA: Memorial Day weekend-youth alcohol ER visits up 11%-577 daily for alcohol & 199 daily for combined use drugs&alcohol.
http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1005283952.aspx
http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2010/youth-er-visits-for-alcohol.html

News For Your Classroom Podcast Episode #3

Powered by Podbean.com

Hi and welcome to the milestogodrugeducation.com podcast where we simplify a complex subject while giving you News for your classroom.

Each day we simplify current scientific news reports and studies about drugs, drug abuse and prevention on our twitter news page.

Several times per month we will provide you with these drug fact updates as an audio podcast and blog which will be available on our website as well as itunes and podbean.

SAMHSA study shows Asians born in the U.S. more likely to use drugs and alcohol than Asians born outside the US.
http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2010/all-asian-americans-not.html
http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1005192854.aspx
SAMHSA study shows that Japanese Americans 3x’s more likely to use illicit drugs than families from India.
http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2010/all-asian-americans-not.htmlhttp://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1005192854.aspx
SAMHSA study shows that Asian American binge drinking patterns vary by country and birth place w/ Korean highest.
http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2010/all-asian-americans-not.htmlhttp://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1005192854.aspx
A small study from Geneva, Switz. Electronic Cigarettes used to quit smoking helpful, but urgent studies needed for toxicity.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/231/abstracthttp://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2010/e-cigarettes-some-help-in.html

UCLA: small study-sensitivity to the dopamine reward system of the teen brain makes it more prone to risk taking & reward seeking.
http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2010/teens-may-be-more-sensitive.html
http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v13/n6/abs/nn.2558.html

News For Your Classroom Podcast Episode #2

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Hi and welcome to the milestogodrugeducation.com podcast where we simplify a complex subject while giving you News for your classroom.

Each day we simplify current scientific news reports and studies about drugs, drug abuse and prevention on our twitter news page.

Several times per month we will provide you with these drug fact updates as an audio podcast and blog which will be available on our website as well as itunes and podbean.

The Am. Academy of Pediatricians recommends doctors screen all young patients for alcohol use due to delicate nature of brain development.
http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2010/all-kids-should-be-screened.html

Canadian study shows high percentages of Hookah smokers also use marijuana & binge drink coupled w/ mistaken belief of safety.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pulmonology/Smoking/20012?utm_content=GroupCL&utm_medium=email&impressionId=1273554403478&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=mSpoke&userid=611

Large Finnish study-substantial connection between prenatal smoking & child use of psychotropic drugs esp. ADHD, antidepressants & addiction treatment.
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/638749.html
http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2010/psychiatric-problems-more.html

How To Use News For Your Classroom

Powered by Podbean.com

Hi and welcome to the milestogodrugeducation.com podcast where we simplify a complex subject while giving you news for your classroom.

Each day we simplify current scientific news reports and studies about drugs, drug abuse and prevention on our twitter news page.

Several times per month we will provide you with these drug fact updates as an audio podcast and blog which will be available on our website as well as itunes and podbean.

When you log onto this page you can view our daily tweets that we call daily drug fact updates. Use these real articles and studies as topics of discussion for your classroom, advisors' groups, mentors' activities, health class, debate team, homeroom discussions, science, biology, human development, psychology, home school discussions, family conversations, faculty meetings, etc.

On our website you can subscribe to itunes, podbean, twitter and our blog sites to have it sent directly to your email box or your ipod.

In addition to these free subscriptions an MP3 player will be available on our website located on the twitter news page.

All you need to do is click and listen to get your news for discussions in your classroom.

Our expanded subscription service includes everything you just heard plus extra questions, expanded discussion from Kelly and Jonathan about the subject. Also, tweets that are not included in our free service. It's like getting a mini lecture for your classroom. You can sign up for it on our web site's twitter news page at milestogodrugeducation.com

Be sure to send us an email to let us know how you use this service Milestogo-drugeducation@juno.com

There is NO Tobacco in Tabasco!

This is dedicated to Art Linkletter and Bill Cosby:

After 14 years of teaching drug education, I’m tempted to think I’ve heard it all. I’m used to getting questions from out of left field, but I always attempt to answer my student’s questions honestly, scientifically and without laughing. I NEVER want to make them feel bad for asking. My class is a safe haven for 4th – 6th graders to ask drug questions, and it is my job is to simplify a complex subject by teaching a class called “Myths Around The World,” which is the history of drugs played in a geographic game. Our goal is to dispel myths, discuss slang vs. scientific terminology, and talk about how many of the drugs of abuse began as medicines. It’s a fun way to learn the beginning levels of drug prevention education and jumpstart this life-long discussion. The history of drugs is naturally funny without me or my students adding anything extra. After all, hundreds of years ago, they actually thought tobacco could cure lung cancer!

The usual questions come up in every class: “my uncle smokes, how do I make him stop?” “What do drugs taste like?” “Why do people do drugs?” These are simple, honest and expected questions.

There is one question, though, since I hear it so frequently and because it points out the kind of hilarious confusion drug education can inspire, that I feel I must address once and for all -
I want to officially say that there is NO TOBACCO IN TABASCO.

Honestly, this makes me smile every time I hear it. It is a simple case of misunderstanding the language, and it is my job to clear up the confusion. After I get the question, the class comes to a complete halt. I carefully take a few minutes reiterating my answer in several ways just to be clear.

Tabasco is a hot sauce. Tobacco is a plant that cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff are made from. Nicotine is the stimulant drug in tobacco. There is no nicotine in Tabasco. In my class, I use the example, “My husband loves Tabasco hot sauce on his tacos, but as a former tobacco smoker, he is very careful to never use tobacco products.” I promise you that there is not now, nor has there ever been, tobacco products, leaves, ingredients or additives in Tabasco. Some kids giggle, but after I answer the question I always get the same exuberant sigh of relief, and some kid always shouts out, “I love Tabasco!!! I’m so relieved I can still use it.”

Being a traveling drug educator has the potential to be a very depressing, but my husband and I have found a way to make this job fun. We never expected questions that are so innocent and naturally funny. I couldn’t write funnier questions than some that I get repeatedly from my students. The number one cutest question I get is, “How high do people float when they get high?” The number one award for literal thinkers is, “When a person barfs their brains out, how do the brains come out of their head?” And for those readers wondering what is the number one most common question I get? The winner is, “Which one is worse, pot or weed?”

Most adults remember drug education as gloom and doom coupled with scare tactics (that is if they had any drug education at all.) But in my class, scattered among the myriad questions about drug abuse, are the questions that bring a smile to my face. It’s these questions that remind me that kids are still innocent and that it is my responsibility to guide them, because I may be the first person to ever talk to them about this subject. How I choose my words can make an impact for the rest of their life, and at the very least I will have made this small difference – they’ll never be scared of Tabasco again.
milestogodrugeducation.com

Miles To Go Drug Prevention Lecture Series Website Update 2010

Welcome! We’ve added Blogger.com to our blogging life. We haven’t been blogging lately; not because we don’t have anything to say, but we have been working on our twitter, webinar and Drug Fact Update programs.

The Drug Fact Updates (DFU) are articles that can be used for home and classroom discussions. Monthly DFU’s can be found on our website’s Drug Fact Update page. You can sign up on our website to receive the DFU in your personal email.

Daily DFU’s can be found on our twitter page at Twitter.com as well as our website, where we will update posts weekly. Our Twitter name is MilesToGoDrugEd. These daily discussions are excellent start points for research projects and discussions for advisors and mentors groups.

We have been working hard on our webinar series. If you missed the live presentation at your school, you can order and view our parent meeting webcast on our webinar page.

Our new handbook, “Not All Kids Do Drugs” is still in editing, but it is coming!